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United States Patent |
6,165,068
|
Sonoda
,   et al.
|
December 26, 2000
|
Connection-fighting type game machine and connection-fighting type game
methods
Abstract
A connection-fighting type game machine and a connection-fighting type game
method enable game character progression in an independent use state, or
in a connected-fighting use state. The connection-fighting type liquid
crystal game machine can be used independently, thereby causing a built-in
character to grow according to input information from an operation input
section that stores growth degree information of the grown character. The
game machine may also be connected to another game machine of the same
kind. An outcome processing section reads out the growth degree
information of the characters stored in the respective game machines, and
then causes them to fight in a predetermined fighting manner. A growth
degree changing processing section improves the growth degree of the
character that has gained a victory, performs a growth degree changing
processing by leaving as it is or lowering the growth degree of the
character that has suffered a defeat. The growth degree information of the
characters for the respective machines is stored in respective storing
sections.
Inventors:
|
Sonoda; Fumiaki (Tokyo, JP);
Mizunuma; Masanori (Tokyo, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Tomy Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
007656 |
Filed:
|
January 15, 1998 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
463/8; 463/40; 463/42 |
Intern'l Class: |
F16C 001/24 |
Field of Search: |
463/8,44,45,46,40,42
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4344622 | Aug., 1982 | Nissim | 273/85.
|
4366960 | Jan., 1983 | Bromley et al. | 273/85.
|
4858930 | Aug., 1989 | Sato | 273/85.
|
4948126 | Aug., 1990 | Drummond | 273/1.
|
4964638 | Oct., 1990 | Ishida | 273/138.
|
5137277 | Aug., 1992 | Kitaue | 273/85.
|
5184830 | Feb., 1993 | Okada et al. | 273/433.
|
5249800 | Oct., 1993 | Hilgendorf | 273/138.
|
5396225 | Mar., 1995 | Okada et al. | 340/825.
|
5428528 | Jun., 1995 | Takenouchi et al. | 364/410.
|
5434742 | Jul., 1995 | Saito et al. | 361/321.
|
5618045 | Apr., 1997 | Kagan et al. | 463/40.
|
5797794 | Aug., 1998 | Angell | 463/18.
|
5885156 | Mar., 1999 | Toyohara et al. | 463/1.
|
5890964 | Apr., 1999 | Aoki et al. | 463/44.
|
5971855 | Oct., 1999 | Ng | 463/42.
|
Other References
Game connect, displayed in Tiger Electronics 1998 catalog, pp. 39, 41, 114,
1998.
|
Primary Examiner: Young; Lee
Assistant Examiner: Trinh; Minh
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A connection-fighting type game machine which can be used independently
or can be connected to an opponent machine, the game machine comprising:
a growth processing section for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of the player through an operation
input section during independent use;
a storing section for storing growth degree information of the character
grown by the growth processing section;
a connection terminal for performing a direct connection with the opponent
machine;
an outcome processing section for reading out the growth degree information
of the character for a user's machine stored in the storing section of the
user's machine, reading out growth degree information of the character
stored in the storing section of the opponent machine, and causing the
character for the user's machine and the character for the opponent
machine to fight against each other according to a predetermined fighting
manner based on the growth degree information of the character for the
user's machine and the growth degree information of the character for the
opponent machine to determine the outcome, during connected use with the
opponent machine;
a growth degree changing processing section for performing a growth degree
changing processing of changing at least one of the growth degree of the
character which has been judged to gain a victory and the growth degree of
the character which has been judged to suffer a defeat, storing the growth
degree information of the character for the user's machine obtained after
the growth degree changing processing in the storing section of the user's
machine, and storing the growth degree information of the character for
the opponent machine obtained after the growth degree changing processing
in the storing section of the opponent machine;
a display section for displaying a growth progress of the character for the
user's machine according to an instruction from the growth processing
section of the user's machine and displaying a fighting result according
to an instruction from the growth degree changing processing section; and
a control section for judging a connection state with the opponent machine,
activating the growth processing section, inactivating the outcome
processing section and the growth degree processing section of the user's
machine when judging that the machines are in a non-connection state, and
inactivating the growth processing section and deciding a priority of
performing fight processing with the opponent machine when judging that
the machines are in the connection state, and activating the fight
processing section and the growth degree changing processing section when
the user's machine is higher in the priority of performing fight
processing.
2. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the growth degree information includes a level value corresponding to a
total amount of the imaginary experience, and an attribute value which are
determined according to experience amounts by the kinds of imaginary
experiences.
3. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the control section determines, if receiving a fight processing
requirement from the operation input section of the user's machine when
not receiving a fight processing reserving requirement information from
the opponent machine in the connection state with the opponent machine,
that the user's machine is higher in the priority of executing fight
processing, then informs a fight processing reserving requirement
information to the opponent machine, to thereby activate the outcome
processing section and the growth degree changing processing section of
the user's machine.
4. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the control section determines, if receiving a fight processing
requirement from the operation input section of the user's machine when
not receiving a fight processing reserving requirement information from
the opponent machine in the connection state with the opponent machine,
that the user's machine is higher in the priority of executing fight
processing, then informs a fight processing reserving requirement
information to the opponent machine, to thereby activate the outcome
processing section and the growth degree changing processing section of
the user's machine.
5. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the growth degree changing processing section is adapted to decrease the
growth degree of the character for the user's machine when there is no
input from the operation input section during a predetermined time in the
case of the independent use.
6. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the growth degree changing processing section is adapted to decrease the
growth degree of the character for the user's machine when there is no
input from the operation input section during a predetermined time in the
case of the independent use.
7. A connection-fighting type game machine which can be used independently
or can be connected to an opponent machine, the game machine comprising:
a growth processing means for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of the player through an operation
input section during independent use;
a storing means for storing growth degree information of the character
grown by the growth processing means;
a connection terminal for performing a direct connection with the opponent
machine;
an outcome processing means for reading out the growth degree information
of the character for a user's machine stored in the storing means of the
user's machine, reading out growth degree information of the character
stored in the storing means of the opponent machine, and causing the
character for the user's machine and the character for the opponent
machine to fight against each other according to a predetermined fighting
manner based on the growth degree information of the character for the
user's machine and the growth degree information of the character for the
opponent machine to determine the outcome, during connected use with the
opponent machine;
a growth degree changing processing means for performing a growth degree
changing processing of changing at least one of the growth degree of the
character which has been judged to gain a victory and the growth degree of
the character which has been judged to suffer a defeat, storing the growth
degree information of the character for the user's machine obtained after
the growth degree changing processing in the storing means of the user's
machine, and storing the growth degree information of the character for
the opponent machine obtained after the growth degree changing processing
in the storing means of the opponent machine;
a liquid crystal display output section for displaying a growth progress of
the character for the user's machine according to an instruction from the
growth processing means of the user's machine and displaying and fighting
result according to an instruction from the growth degree changing
processing means; and
a control means for judging a connection state with the opponent machine,
activating the growth processing means, inactivating the outcome
processing means and the growth degree processing means of the user's
machine when judging that the machines are in a non-connection state, and
inactivating the growth processing means and deciding a priority of
performing fight processing with the opponent machine when judging that
the machines are in the connection state, and activating the fight
processing means and the growth degree changing processing means when the
user's machine is higher in the priority of performing fight processing.
8. A connection-fighting type game method which can be used independently
or can be connected to an opponent machine, the game method comprising:
letting a built-in character gain imaginary experience by an interactive
operation of a player through an operation input section of a user's
machine during independent use;
storing growth degree information of the grown character;
performing a connection with the opponent machine;
deciding a priority of executing fight processing with the opponent
machine, and activating an outcome processing section and a growth degree
changing processing section of the user's machine when the user's machine
is higher in the priority of executing fight processing;
reading out the growth degree information of the character for the user's
machine stored in the storing section of the user's machine, reading out
growth degree information of the character stored in the storing section
of the opponent machine, and causing the character for the user's machine
and the character for the opponent machine to fight against each other
according to a predetermined fighting manner based on the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine and the growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine to thereby determine
an outcome; and
performing a growth degree changing processing of changing at least one of
the growth degree of the character which has been judged to gain a victory
and the growth degree of the character which has been judged to suffer a
defeat, storing the growth degree information of the character for the
user's machine obtained after the growth degree changing processing in the
user's machine, and storing the growth degree information of the character
for the opponent machine obtained after the growth degree changing
processing in the opponent machine.
9. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the connection terminal comprises a plug and a receiving port, the plug of
the user's machine is directly fitted in a receiving port of the opponent
machine and a plug of the opponent machine is fitted in the receiving port
of the user's machine.
10. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the connection terminal is directly joined to a connection
terminal of the opponent machine without a cable.
11. A connection-fighting type game machine which is used by being
connected with an opponent machine or which is used independently, the
game machine comprising:
a growth processing section for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of a user through an operation
input section during independent use;
a storing section for storing growth degree information of the character
grown by the growth processing section;
a connection terminal for performing a direct connection with the opponent
machine;
an outcome processing section for making the character for the user's
machine fight against a character for the opponent machine according to a
predetermined fighting manner, on the basis of the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine and growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine to judge an outcome
of victory or defeat of the fighting, during connected use with the
opponent machine;
a growth degree changing processing section for performing a growth degree
changing processing for changing the growth degree of the character for
the user's machine according to the outcome of victory or defeat of the
fighting which has been judged by the outcome processing section, and for
storing the growth degree information obtained after the growth degree
changing processing, of the character for the user's machine, into the
storing section of the user's machine; and
a display output section for displaying a growth progress of the character
for the user's machine according to an instruction from the growth
processing section of the user's machine and displaying a fighting result
according to in instruction from the growth degree changing processing
section.
12. The connection-fighting type game machine as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the growth degree changing processing section is adapted to
decrease the growth degree of the character for the user's machine when
there is no input from the operation input section during the independent
use.
13. A connection-fighting type game machine which is used by being
connected with an opponent machine or which is used independently, the
game machine comprising:
a growth processing section for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of a user through an operation
input section during independent use;
a storing section for storing growth degree information of the character
grown by the growth processing section;
a connection terminal for performing a direct connection with the opponent
machine;
an outcome processing section for making the character for the user's
machine fight against a character for the opponent machine according to a
predetermined fighting manner, on the basis of the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine and growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine to judge an outcome
of victory or defeat of the fighting, during connected use with the
opponent machine, the growth degree information of the character for the
user's machine being stored in the storing section of the user's machine;
a growth degree changing processing section for performing a growth degree
changing processing for changing the growth degree of the character for
the user's machine according to the outcome of victory or defeat of the
fighting which has been judged by the outcome processing section, for
storing the growth degree information of the character for the user's
machine obtained after the growth degree changing processing, into the
storing section of the user's machine, and for informing the opponent
machine of the outcome of victory or defeat which is the growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine; and
a display output section for displaying a growth progress of the character
for the user's machine according to an instruction from the growth
processing section of the user's machine and displaying a fighting result
according to an instruction from the growth degree changing processing
section,
wherein the growth degree changing processing section is adapted to
decrease the growth degree of the character for the user's machine when
there is no input from the operation input section during the independent
use.
14. A connection-fighting type game machine which is used by being
connected with an opponent machine or which is used independently, the
game machine comprising:
a growth processing section for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of a user through an operation
input section during independent use;
a storing section for storing growth degree information of the character
grown by the growth processing section;
a connection terminal for performing a direct connection with the opponent
machine;
an outcome processing section for making the character for the user's
machine fight against a character for the opponent machine according to a
predetermined fighting manner, on the basis of the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine and growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine to judge an outcome
of victory or defeat of the fighting, during connected use with the
opponent machine;
a growth degree changing processing section for performing a growth degree
changing processing for changing at least one of the growth degree of the
character which has been judged to gain a victory and the growth degree of
the character which has been judged to suffer a defeat, for storing the
growth degree information of the character for the user's machine obtained
after the growth degree changing processing, into the storing section of
the user's machine, and for informing the opponent machine of the growth
degree information of the character for the opponent machine obtained
after the growth degree changing processing; and
a display output section for displaying a growth progress of the character
for the user's machine according to an instruction from the growth
processing section of the user's machine and displaying a fighting result
according to an instruction from the growth degree changing processing
section,
wherein the growth degree changing processing section is adapted to
decrease the growth degree of the character for the user's machine when
there is no input from the operation input section during the independent
use.
15. A fighting type game machine which is used by being connected with an
opponent machine or which is used independently, the game machine
comprising:
growth processing means for letting a built-in character gain imaginary
experience by an interactive operation of a user through an operation
input means when the game machine is used independently;
storing means for storing growth degree information of the character grown
by the growth processing means;
joining means for joining the user's machine to the opponent machine;
outcome processing means for making the character for the user's machine
fight against a character for the opponent machine according to a
predetermined fighting manner, on the basis of the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine and growth degree
information of the character for the opponent machine to judge an outcome
of victory or defeat of the fighting, during connected use with the
opponent machine;
growth degree changing processing means for performing a growth degree
changing processing for changing the growth degree of the character for
the user's machine according to the outcome of victory or defeat of the
fighting which has been judged by the outcome processing means, and for
storing the changed growth degree information of the character for the
user's machine into the storing means of the user's machine; and
display output means for displaying a growth progress of the character for
the user's machine according to an instruction from the growth processing
means of the user's machine and displaying a fighting result according to
an instruction from the growth degree changing processing means.
16. A connection-fighting type game machine which is used by being
connected with an opponent machine or which is used independently, the
game machine comprising:
a display;
an input section operable by a user for effecting operation of the game
machine;
a processor receiving input from the input section and driving the display,
the processor controlling the operation of the game machine;
a memory storing growth degree information of a character; and
a connector engageable with an opponent connector of an opponent machine,
wherein the processor is configured to effect a fight when the user's
machine is connected to the opponent machine via the connector, the
processor accessing the growth degree information of the character stored
in the memory and opponent growth degree information stored in the
opponent machine and judging a fight outcome of victory or defeat, and
wherein the processor changes at least one of the growth degree
information and the opponent growth degree information according to the
fight outcome.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection-fighting type game machine
with a display such as a liquid crystal display or the like, which is
subjected to independent use or to connected use with an opponent machine,
and a corresponding connection-fighting type game method.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, portable game machines each having a display such as a liquid
crystal display (LCD) or the like are now widespread. Game machines of
this type include various games such as of shooting games, role playing
games, and so on. Most of the above conventional game machines are
supposed to be subjected to independent use, that is, played by only one
player.
There is known a game machine for two persons' use in which two players
operate their operation input sections, respectively, to cause their own
characters to fight against each other on the same screen; causing the
outcome to be decided, increasing the level of the character which has
gained a victory, and decreasing the level which has suffered a defeat.
The independent use type game machine with a display progresses the game
with the built-in game contents of the game machine restricted, which
causes the progressing manner of the game to be monotonous.
On the other hand, in the conventional fighting type game machine, two
players operate their operation input sections, respectively, to cause
their own characters to fight against each other on the same screen,
thereby resulting in innumerable change of the progressing manner of the
game. However, this game machine unexpectedly depends on the operation
technique of the operation input section by the player, thereby making the
game machine uninteresting for the player having a poor operation
technique.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made in view of the above problems. It is an object
of the invention to provide a connection-fighting type game machine with a
display and a connection-fighting type game method which provide a varying
progress of the game, and provide added amusement.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the connection-fighting
type game machine which is subjected to independent use, or to connected
use with an opponent machine includes a growth processing section for
letting a built-in character gain imaginary experience by an interactive
operation of the player through an operation input section in the case of
independent use. A storing section stores growth degree information of the
characters grown by the growth processing section, and a connection
terminal enables the direct connection with the opponent machine. An
outcome processing section reads out the growth degree information of the
character stored in the storing section reads out the growth degree
information of the character stored in the storing section of the opponent
machine, and causes the user's character and the character for the
opponent machine to fight against each other according to a predetermined
fighting manner based on the growth degree information of the user's
character and the growth degree information of the opponent's character to
determine the outcome, in the case of the connected use with the opponent
machine.
The game machine also includes a growth degree changing processing section
for performing a growth degree changing processing of changing it least
one of the growth degree of the character which has been judged to gain a
victory and the growth degree of the character which has been judged to
suffer a defeat, storing the growth degree information of the user's
character obtained after the growth degree changing processing in the
user's storing section, and storing the growth degree information of the
opponent's character obtained after the growth degree changing processing
in the opponent's storing section. A display section displays a growth
progress of the user's character according to an instruction from the
user's growth processing section and displays a fighting result according
to an instruction from the growth degree changing processing section.
Finally, a control section judges the connection state with the opponent
machine, activates the growth processing section, inactivates the outcome
processing section and the growth degree processing section of the user's
machine when judging that the machines are in the non-connection state,
and inactivates the growth processing section and deciding the priority of
performing the fight processing with the opponent machine when judging
that the machines are in the connection state. The control section also
activates the fight processing section and the growth degree changing
processing section when the user's machine is high in the priority of
performing fight processing.
The growth degree information may include a level value corresponding to a
total amount of the imaginary experience, and an attribute value which are
determined according to experience amounts by the kinds of the imaginary
experiences.
The control section may determine, if receiving a fight processing
requirement from the operation input section of the user's machine when
not receiving a fight processing reserving requirement information from
the opponent machine in the connection state with the opponent machine,
that the user's machine is high in the priority of executing fight
processing, then informs a fight processing reserving requirement
information to the opponent machine, to thereby activate the outcome
processing section and the growth degree changing processing section of
the user's machine.
The growth degree changing processing section may be adapted to decrease
the growth degree of the character for the user's machine when there is no
input from the operation input section during a predetermined time in the
case of the independent use.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the connection-fighting
type game method which is subjected to independent use, or to connected
use with an opponent machine, includes a first step of letting a built-in
character gain imaginary experience by an interactive operation of a
player through an operation input section in the case of independent use;
a second step of storing a growth degree information of the grown
character; and a third step of performing the connection kith the opponent
machine. In a fourth step, a priority of executing a fight processing with
the opponent machine is decided, and an outcome processing section and a
growth degree changing processing section of the user's machine are
activated when the user's machine is high in the priority of executing
fight processing.
The method also includes a fifth step of reading out a growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine stored in the storing
section of the user's machine, reading out the growth degree information
of the character stored in the storing section of the opponent machine,
and causing the character for the user's machine and the character for the
opponent machine to fight against each other according to a predetermined
fighting manner based on the growth degree information of the character
for the user's machine and the growth degree information of the character
for the opponent machine to thereby determine the outcome.
Finally, in a sixth step, a growth degree changing processing of changing
at least one of the growth degree of the character which has been judged
to gain a victory and the growth degree of the character which has been
judged to suffer a defeat is performed, along with storing the growth
degree information of the character for the user's machine obtained after
the growth degree changing processing in the user's machine, and storing
the growth degree information of the character for the opponent machine
obtained after the growth degree changing processing in the opponent
machine.
According to such a connection-fighting type game machine with a display or
such a connection-fighting type game method, a player can en joy the
conventional role playing game in the case of independent use, and then
can fight with the character having the growth degree which is not known
by itself in connected use with the opponent machine. Moreover, in this
case, the outcome can be determined irrespective of the skill of the
operation technique for the operation input section, so that all plays can
enjoy the game.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed
description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are
given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a
definition of the limits of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connection-fighting type liquid crystal
game machine according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the connection-fighting liquid type
crystal game machine according to the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a case in which the connection-fighting
type liquid crystal game machine according to the embodiment is in a state
of independent use;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a case in which the fight arbitration is
processed when the connection-fighting type liquid crystal game machine
according to the embodiment is in a connected state;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a case in which the outcome is processed
when the connection-fighting type liquid crystal game machine according to
the embodiment is in a connected state;
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a case in which the growth degree changing
is processed when the connection-fighting type liquid crystal game machine
according to the embodiment is in a connected state;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a case in which the fight processing is
processed with the opponent machine taking the initiative;
FIG. 8 is a general arrangement of a connection-fighting type liquid
crystal game machine according to a first variant example of the
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plug, and
FIG. 9B is a perspective view of another embodiment of the plug; and
FIG. 10 is a general arrangement of a connection-fighting type liquid
crystal game machine according to a second variant example of the
embodiment of the invention.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
A connection-fighting type game machine with a display and a
connection-fighting type game method, according to embodiments of the
present invention will now be described with reference to the appended
drawings. Incidentally, in explaining the drawings, the same elements and
parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and therefore the
descriptions thereof to be repeated are omitted.
FIG. 1 is an exterior view of a connection-fighting type game machine
having a liquid crystal display, according to an embodiment of the
invention. In FIG. 1, two game machines 11a and 11b are represented as
viewed from the different directions in order to clarify a connecting
manner of the game machine according to the embodiment of the invention.
The game machine 11a and the game machine 11b are quite identical in
construction with each other. The construction of the game machine 11a
will now be described. Elements and parts of the game machine 11b,
corresponding to those of the game machine 11a, each has a reference
numeral with the suffix b instead of the suffix a, the description of
which is therefore omitted.
As shown in FIG. 1, the game machine 11a according to the present
embodiment comprises (a) an operation input section 20a having keys 21a,
22a and 23a by which a player inputs information, (b) a liquid crystal
display section 30a for displaying the growth processing of the character
for the user's machine and the fighting progress with the character for
the opponent machine, and the outcome of the fight, and (c) a connection
section 41a having a plug 42a and a receiving port 43a for the purpose of
direct connection with the opponent machine. The operation input section
20a, the liquid crystal display section 30a, and the connection section
41a are connected to a built-in processing section 50a.
The connection section 41a includes the plug 42a and the receiving port
43a. At the time of connection, the plug 42a is connected to the receiving
port 43b, and the plug 42b is connected to the receiving port 43a.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the game machine 11a. As shown in
FIG. 2, the processing section 50a comprises (a) a growth processing
section 51a for letting a built-in character gain imaginary experience by
an interactive operation of the player through an operation input section
20a in the case of independent use, (b) a storing section 52a for storing
growth degree information of the characters grown by the growth processing
section 51a, (c) a fight processing section 59a for performing a fight
processing in the case of connected use with the opponent machine 11b, (d)
a control processing section 55a for receiving a connection state signal
CN to judge the connection state with the opponent machine 11b, making a
growth activating signal GA significant to activate the growth processing
section 51a and making a fight activating signal FA insignificant to
inactivate the fight processing section 59a when judging that the machines
are in the non-connection state, making the growth activating signal GA
insignificant to inactivate the growth processing section 51a and
determining the priority of performing the fight processing with the
opponent machine 11b when judging that the machines are in the connection
state, and making the fight activating signal FA insignificant to activate
the fight processing section 59a when the user's machine 11a is high in
the priority of performing fight processing.
The fight processing section 59a comprises (i) an outcome processing
section 53a for reading out the growth degree information of the character
for the user's machine 11a stored in the storing section 52a of the user's
machine 11a, reading out the growth degree information of the character
for the opponent machine 11b stored in the storing section 52b of the
opponent machine 11b, and causing the character of the user's machine 11a
and the character of the opponent machine 11b to fight against each other
according to a predetermined fighting manner based on the growth degree
information of the character for the user's machine 11a and the growth
degree information of the character for the opponent machine 11b to
determine the outcome, (ii) a growth degree changing processing section
54a for performing a growth degree changing processing of improving the
growth degree of the character which has been judged to gain a victory
relative to the growth degree of the character which has been judged to
suffer a defeat, storing the growth degree information of the character
for the user's machine 11a obtained after the growth degree changing
processing in the storing section 52a of the user's machine 11a, and
storing the growth degree information of the character for the opponent
machine 11b obtained after the growth degree changing processing in the
storing section 52b of the opponent machine 11b.
It is preferred that the storing section 52a is provided with a combination
of electrically erasable/programmable read only memories (EEPROM) and
static random access memories (SRAM), and a back-up battery.
A growth operation information GOP out of the input information from the
operation input section 20a is input to the growth processing section 51a,
and a fight processing requirement signal FRQ is input to the control
processing section 55a. The growth degree information is then input to the
growth processing section 51a from the storing section 52a.
Display information is input to the liquid crystal display output section
30a from the growth processing section 51a or the fight processing section
59a.
The growth degree information is input to the storing section 52a from the
opponent machine 11b via the growth processing section 51a, the growth
degree changing processing section 54a or the connecting section 41a.
The growth degree information is input to the outcome processing section
53a from the opponent machine 11b via the storing section 52a or the
connection section 41a.
The fight processing reserving information is input to the control
processing section 55a from the opponent machine 11b via the connection
section 41a.
The growth degree changing information from the storing section 52a or the
growth degree changing processing section 54a, or the fight processing
reserving requirement information from the control processing section 55a
is input to the connection section 41a, then informed to the opponent
machine 11b.
The game machines 11a and 11b according to the present embodiment execute a
connection-fighting type game method according to the embodiment of the
invention in the following manner.
First, the game machine 11a and the game machine 11b are used individually.
The mode in which the game machine 11a is independently used will be
described hereinbelow. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a case in which
the game machine is in a state of independent use.
When the game machine 11a is independently used, the opponent machine 11b
is not connected to the game machine 11a, so that the connection
instructing signal CN is insignificant (illustrated by a dotted line).
Since the connection instructing signal CN is insignificant, the control
processing section 55a determines that the machine is in the
non-connection state, makes the growth activating signal GA significant
(illustrated by the solid line) to activate the growth processing section
51a and makes the fight activating signal FA insignificant to inactivate
the fight processing section 59a. In this way, the operating mode is set
to the growth mode of growing the built-in character.
Next, when the operating mode is in the growth mode, the player inputs
growth operating information GOP to thereby grow the character by
operating the operation input section 20a in an interactive manner while
watching the liquid crystal display output section 30a. The growth
processing is displayed on the liquid crystal display output section 30a
to which is input a growth processing information GIG output from the
growth processing section 51a.
The operation (growth operation) of growing the character is suitably
selected from various operations including, e.g., (i) giving the character
something to eat (recovering a life value), (ii) letting the character
play (letting the character gain experience), (iii) giving an injection or
feeding herb when falling ill or injured (removing growth inhibiting
factors, such as life value decreasing factors), (iv) training the
character letting the character gain experience), and (v) causing the
character to fight against the opponent (letting the character gain
experience).
The player operates the operation input section 20a at its own discretion
to store the growth degree information WSGF1 of the grown-up character
into the storing section 52a.
Then, the growth degree information can include only a level value
corresponding to a total amount of experience which the character has
obtained according to its growth, and can include an attribute value which
is determined according to the experience values by the kinds of the
experiences.
When further growing the character which has been stored in the storing
section 20a, the player first operates the operation input section 20a to
thereby read out growth information RSGF of the character from the storing
section 20a, which is transmitted to the growth processing section 51a.
Subsequently, the player executes the growth operation again starting from
the result read out by the preceding operations, to thereby further grow
the character. The player then operates the operation input section 20a
based on its discretion to thereby store growth degree information WSGFI
of the character, which has been accumulatively grown, in the storing
section 20a.
Next, the machine 11a is connected to the opponent machine 11b through the
connection section 41a. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a case in which
the fight arbitration is processed. The connection to the opponent machine
11b makes the connection state signal CN significant; therefore the
control processing section 55a is determined to be in the connection
state, which makes the growth activating signal GA and the fight
activating signal FA insignificant to thereby causes the growth processing
section 51a and the fight processing section 59a to be inactivated. At the
same time, the control processing section 55b of the opponent machine 11b
is determined to be in the connection state, which causes the growth
processing section 51b and the fight processing section 59b to be
inactivated.
After that, the control processing section 55a determines the priority of
executing fight processing in association with the control processing
section 55b of the opponent machine 11b.
In this process, the control processing section 55a determines, if
receiving the control fight processing requirement FRQ from the operation
input section 20 when not receiving a fight processing reserving
requirement information FPDI from the opponent machine 11b in the
connection state with the opponent machine 11b, that the user's machine
11a is high in the priority of executing fight processing, then the
control processing section 55a informs a fight processing reserving
requirement information FPDO to the opponent machine 11b, then makes the
fight activating signal FA significant to thereby activate the fight
processing section 59a.
In the activated fight processing section 59a, the outcome processing
section 53a first executes the outcome processing. FIG. 5 is an
explanatory view of a case in which the outcome is processed.
In executing the outcome processing, the outcome processing section 53a
reads out the growth degree information RSGF of the character for the
user's machine stored in the storing section 52a, and reads out growth
degree information REGFb of the character stored in the storing section
52b through the connection section 41a, and causes the character of the
user's machine 11a and the character for the opponent machine 11b to fight
against each other according to a predetermined fighting manner, based on
the growth degree information of the character for the user's machine 11a
and the growth degree information of the character for the opponent
machine 11b, and then determines the outcome.
As the predetermined fighting manner, a simple electronic roulette manner
or a simple electronic dice manner can be employed where the growth degree
information comprises, e.g., only a level value, set according to the
level values of both game machines. A more complicated electronic roulette
manner or a more complicated electronic dice manner can be employed where
the growth degree information comprises, e.g., a level value and an
attribute value, set according to the level values and the attribute
values of both game machines.
The outcome processing section 53a displays fighting progress information
and outcome information FIG 1 as the fighting result.
When the outcome of the fight is decided, the growth degree changing
processing section 54a executes the growth degree changing processing.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a case in which the growth degree
changing is processed.
In the growth degree changing processing, the growth degree changing
processing section 54a generates the growth degree information obtained by
the fight processing section 53a improving the growth degree of the
character which has been judged to gain a victory by the outcome
processing section 53a, and generates the growth degree information
obtained by the fight processing section 53a leaving as it is or lowering
the growth degree of the character which has been judged to suffer a
defeat.
For example, the character which has been judged to gain a victory gains
the increased experience value, the improved level, or the increased
attribute value. On the other hand, the character which has been judged to
suffer a defeat gains the maintained growth degree as it is, the decreased
experience value, the low,red level, or the decreased attribute value. For
example, the character which has been judged to suffer a defeat takes a
disease or gets a wound, or degenerates.
After that, the growth degree changing section 54a stores growth degree
information WSGF2, obtained after the change of the character for the
user's machine 11a, in the storing section 52a, stores growth degree
information WSGFb, obtained after the change of the character for the
opponent machine 11b, in the storing section 52b through the connection
section 41b, and displays the growth degree changing information FIG. 2 on
the liquid crystal display output section 30a as the fighting result,
followed by terminating the fight processing.
In the connection state, when the control processing section 55a receives
fight processing reserving requirement information FPDI through the
connection section 41a before the fight processing requirement FRQ is
transmitted to the control processing section 55a from the operation input
section 20a, the control processing section 55a determines, even if
receiving the fight processing requirement FRQ from the operation input
section 20a thereafter, that the user's machine is high in priority
executing the fight processing, to thereby ignore the fight processing
requirement FRO transmitted from the operation input section 20a. That is,
the fight processing is executed with the opponent machine 11b taking the
initiative, with the fight processing section 59a inactivated. FIG. 7 is
an explanatory view of a case in which the fight processing is executed
with the opponent machine 11b taking the initiative.
As shown in FIG. 7, the user's machine 11a does not actively execute the
fight processing at all, outputs a character growth degree information
REGFa of the user's machine 11a stored in the storing section 52a through
the connection portion 41a according to the requirement from the opponent
machine 11b, and stores character growth degree information WEGFa of the
user's machine 11a, which has been changed after the fight and then
transmitted from the opponent machine 11b through the connection section
41a, according to the instruction of the opponent machine 116.
After that, both machines are separated from each other, causing the
connection state to be changed to the non-connection state, which causes
the machine to be again in the independent use state. In this manner, the
player's growth operation grows the character until the next fight.
As described above, the game machine can be played as is the case with the
conventional role playing game in the case of independent use, and can
fight with the character having the unknown growth degree in the case of
connected use.
Moreover, so long as the meal, the training and the like are neglected
during a predetermined time even if the outcome processing is executed,
the machine might as well suffer a defeat, thereby decreasing the
experience value, lowering the level, or decreasing the attribute value.
The invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For
example, although, in the above embodiment, the plug 42 is shaped in a
cylinder with the receiving port 43 complementary thereto, the game
machine 12 is made in such a manner that the plug 45 may be shaped in a
rectangular parallelepiped with the receiving port 46 complementary
thereto, as shown in FIG. 8. Moreover, a rubber contact can be employed in
which the energizing rubber 61 and an insulation rubber 62 are, laminated
in a sandwich manner as shown in FIG. 9A, or a metal contact comprising a
metal 63 as shown in FIG. 9B. The same contact can be employed for the
plug 42. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a convex section and a concave
section are disposed on the main body around the connection section 41,
thereby causing the game machines 13 to be physically fixed.
As described in detail above, according to the connection-fighting type
game machine with a display and the connection-fighting type game method
of the invention, the player can enjoy one-player-gaming while growing the
character for the user's machine as is the case with the conventional role
playing game in the case of independent use, and then can enjoy
two-player-gaming causing the character grown by itself and the character
grown by the opponent to fight against each other.
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